"We are contacting you today because we want you to be aware of important changes the Wyoming Legislature is considering regarding the procedures that we can provide you or your family here in our offices. You may have heard on the news there has been a debate in the State Capitol on what we are trying to accomplish with supporting changes to the Wyoming Optometrists Practice Act.

Through the Wyoming Optometric Association, we asked the legislature to study advances in the practice of optometry through the Legislature’s Joint Labor, Health and Social Service Committee. After about a year’s worth of work the committee drafted and sponsored Senate File 55, Optometrists Practice Act Amendments.

The legislation recognizes that Doctors of Optometry deliver essential components of patients’ overall primary health that goes beyond prescribing glasses or contact lenses. Current curriculum being taught in accredited optometry schools across the country and for which current Doctors of Optometry receive during continuing education has made significant advances. However, we have not been able to use these new advances in Wyoming due to limits in state law on what services we may provide for your eye health. These limits have not been looked at in 25 years.

Wyoming Doctors of Optometry currently provide 98% of eye care in 21 counties in Wyoming. Allowing the updates to our scope of practice to include procedures we are trained in will improve patient care and patient access.

We strive to provide you with leading solutions and the best available procedures which keep your eyes healthy. Our request to the Legislature has been simple, let your local eye doctor provide you with the quality eyecare services for which we are trained. Passage of original Senate File 55 will help us accomplish those goals.

We need your help and the Legislators need to hear from you as citizens. They need to hear that you support original Senate File 55 which will allow us to provide you with the best eye care we can with the most updated and safe procedures for which we have been trained and certified.

Governor-Elect Mark Gordon was sworn in this past week and delivered his first State of the State Address on Wednesday. In his remarks, he laid out his general priorities.

The legislative session has kicked off and is underway. As of this writing, 226 bills have been filed, and the Wyoming State Chamber expects many more. One of the bills we are tracking has moved very fast this week. SF0043, which add a career-vocational pathway to Hathaway Scholarship eligibility passed 2nd Reading in the Senate on Friday.

Other bills being tracked:

HB10, crimes against critical infrastructure

HB27, transportation enterprise program investments

HB67, sales tax revisions

HB72, wage transparency

HB97, Taxation of broadband internet infrastructure

HB98, Rights of way-communications services

SF12, Business Licensing Fee

SF13, Eminent domain-wind energy collector systems

SF16, Community development districts

SF34, Hathaway Eligibility Act

SF37, Wyoming energy authority

SF43, Hathaway scholarship eligibility

SF48, Unemployment compensation-seasonal employers

SF52, Special permits for alcoholic beverages-exception.

You can see the full list of bills introduced thus far HERE. If you notice any bills you believe we should be following or weighing in on, please let us know.

The 64th Legislature concluded the 2018 Legislative Budget Session on March 15. Starting the session with a slate of 330 House and Senate bills, by its conclusion, 150 had met their fate, and 136 have been signed into law by Governor Mead.

While the final budget was very close to the respective versions submitted by the House and Senate in terms of spending levels, they differed substantially on funding methodologies. Remaining divided on their respective philosophies on funding methodologies, the two sides settled on a budget bill deal that would allow both approaches as a trial measure, each for one year during the two-year biennium. The Legislature will adopt the House’s plan for FY 2019, and the following year it will then be the Senate’s turn. The two sides passed the general government appropriations budget on Saturday morning, March 10, but went late into the evening debating K-12 spending reductions and state capital construction projects.

The Legislative Policy Committee (PC) held its final meeting on Monday, February 26th, to review and discuss the 37 proposed bills on the WTA Budget Session Tracking Sheet accompanying this report. Below is a quick review of the major bills that WTA was following.

The main budget bill, which funds most state agencies, was passed by roughly two-thirds of lawmakers in the House and Senate after reaching a deal to remove both construction and education cuts from the budget. The idea was that those two topics would then be addressed in separate pieces of legislation. The extension is in order to address the remaining education and construction bills.

The House will reconvene at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, the Senate on Thursday, meaning the Chamber has had to push their March 13 Legislative Wrap-Up breakfast to March 22.

In interim between now and the next general session in 2019, legislative committees will meet at least three times. The Wyoming State Chamber of Commerce will be tracking committee topic assignments. For now, they've issued their final report on the session:

At the close of week three of the 64th Legislative Budget Session, a total of 126 of 330 House Bills and Senate Files were dead, while 63 Senate Files and 46 House Bills had passed third reading in the body of origin and were being heard in the other chamber. The senate elected to suspend rules and extend the deadline for bills to come out of committee in their second house until Tuesday, March 6.

Both houses worked vigorously during the week trying to resolve differences on their respective versions of the 2019-2020 budget bills. Currently, both chambers are proposing a $2.9 billion appropriation for the next biennium, with the spread between the two houses widening, from a week ago, to the currently profiled at $26.2 million .​

Both houses voted on their respective versions of the 2019-2020 budget bills on Friday and will begin work next week to resolve differences. Currently, both chambers are proposing a $2.9 billion appropriation for the next biennium, with the spread between the two houses currently profiled at $6.4 million.

After debating numerous amendments on the second and third reading this week, the House and Senate ended the week differing significantly on respective plans to cut K-12 spending and standing firm against further attempts to increase taxes. The House adopted Substitute No. 1 for HB 0140 School finance amendments-4 that proposes to reduce spending from the School Foundation Program by $19.8 million for FY 2019-2020 and an additional $13.8 million in FY 2021. The Senate version, SF0117 School finance amendments-3, proposes to decrease education funding by $76.2 million for FY 2019-2020, and an additional $38.6 million in FY 2021.

An attempt to insert an increase in the allowable markup on the State's sale of alcohol as a second reading budget amendment failed late Wednesday. An earlier attempt to increase the allowable markup, HB44, failed on introduction, along with a plethora of other tax-related bills. Attempts at downsizing the State's transportation fleet, both air and automobile, failed, as well.

The Legislature will be taking Monday off for a mid-session recess. It will reconvene on Tuesday, February 27 at 12 P.M. for the House, and 10 A.M. for the Senate.

2018 LEGISLATIVE SESSION SCHEDULE(20-Day Schedule - Subject to Change Without Notice. Additional 3 days may be added to schedule if necessary.)• Monday, February 26 Mid-Session Recess• Day 11 Tuesday, February 27 Last day for 2nd Reading in House of Origin.• Day 12 Wednesday, February 28 Last day for 3rd Reading on bills in House of Origin. [CROSS-OVER]• Day 15 Monday, March 5 Last day for bills to be reported out of Committee in second house.• Day 16 Tuesday, March 6 Last day for Committee of Whole on bills in second house.• Day 17 Wednesday, March 7 Last day for 2nd Reading on bills in second house.• Day 18 Thursday, March 8 Last day for 3rd Reading on bills in second house.• Day 19 Friday, March 9 Concurrence on Amendments/Joint Conference Committee Reports.• Day 20 Saturday, March 10 Joint Conference Committee Reports due to Front Desk by 2:00 p.m. Adjourn by midnight.Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday - March 12, 13 and 14 are available if necessary.

The Wyoming Taxpayer Association has been tracking bills of interest to them. You can see a breakdown of which bills and how they've fared so far in this year's session by clicking here.

The 2018 budget session kicked off last Monday and will run for 20 working days until Friday, March 9, 2018. There were a total of 336 bills and resolutions introduced. Many did not make the 2/3 vote needed in their house of origin for introduction and some were not even considered. A complete list of all of the bills listed for this session can be found here.

The Biennium Budget will be debated this week. Mirror budget bills will be debated simultaneously in the house and the senate. Any differences that are not concurred on in each chamber will be sent to a conference committee assigned by leadership in both chambers to work out the differences. The budget bill can be seen here.

As a number of bills that could impact the businesses in your communities across Wyoming have been introduced and are working through the process towards becoming law. Your association will be very closely monitoring these and we are engaging as necessary.

The following list is comprised of the bills currently listed, related to the businesses operating in your communities across Wyoming. This list will be updated weekly. Please watch for the WSC legislative update every Monday for additions and up to date information on our legislative priorities and please keep a close eye out for any “Calls to Action” as needed.

Wyoming Office of Tourism Biennium BudgetThe Joint Appropriations Committee is recommending the Wyoming Office of Tourism (WOT) biennium budget at approximately $12.5 million per year or $25 million for the biennium. The committee upheld cuts that the Governor requested the WOT to make earlier in the year of about $200,000. Additionally the committee earmarked approximately $200,000 to promote southwest Wyoming. Wyoming currently ranks 31st in the nation for tourism funding. **Please keep a close eye out for updates and calls to action while the biennium budget is debated this week**Status- Representative Don Burkhart proposed an additional $2 million cut to the WOT budget which the Joint Appropriations Committee supported. We will be working to have this funding reinstated this week.

Wyoming Business Council Biennium BudgetGovernor Mead’s biennium budget recommendation for the Wyoming Business Council was flat vs. the last biennium. The Joint Appropriations Committee applied a cut of about $380,000 that Governor Mead had originally requested the agency to make but then did not include in his budget recommendation.

Bills that we are monitoring(Please email chris@wywagan.org with any feedback about bills that we are monitoring)

HB 13- Municipal extraterritorial jurisdiction-repealWithin one mile of municipality, assuming the potential for annexation in the future, new business would need to be built to municipal standards and would be developers responsibility up front. County commissioners would have final say.Status-Passed introduction and will be heard in House Corporations Committee.

HB 14 Municipal JurisdictionAddresses same issues as HB 13 but less restrictive. County would still have ability to nullify if warranted. Status-Passed introduction and will be heard in House Corporations Committee.

HB 53- State Education ProgramAmends the state's educational program relating to computer science and world cultures and languages; providing that computer science courses may satisfy certain high school graduation requirements and certain Hathaway scholarship requirements.Status- Passed introduction and will be heard in House Education Committee.

SF 18 – Orphan Site Remediation FundingNon-interest bearing loans available for corrective action related to above and below ground storage tanks and solid waste landfill remediation. This bill adds orphaned sites to the list making these loans available to orphaned sites for remediation as well.Status- Passed introduction and House Minerals Committee. Awaiting first reading on house floor.

ENDOW related billsGovernor Mead’s Economically Needed Diversification of Wyoming (ENDOW) Committee released their initial recommendations last month and the following are bills related to the advancement of ENDOW’s mission.

SF 40 Commercial Air Service ImprovementEstablishes the Wyoming Commercial Air Service Improvement Act and creates the Wyoming Commercial Air Service Improvement Council. Tasks the Council with developing a 10-year plan to address commercial air service in Wyoming.Status-Passed Senate Minerals Committee and awaits first reading on the senate floor.

SF 100 Economic Diversification-Broadband Services Creates a broadband development program and matching funds for projects under the program. The Wyoming Business Council will administer the program. The bill establishes a broadband advisory council and dedicates $12 million to the program.Status-Passed introduction and will be heard in Senate Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee

SF 108 Economic Development and DiversificationDirects the Wyoming Business Council to develop new markets, expand foreign trade efforts, including expanding international markets for Wyoming services, agriculture, products and commodities. The bill also directs ENDOW to develop a strategy for small, regionally located beef processing plants and mid-large sized plants for international sales. The bill expands the ENDOW committee from 15 to 20 appointed members and directs the committee to review and develop further opportunity for career tech education opportunities in Wyoming. Status-Passed introduction and will be heard in Senate Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee

SF 118 Kick Start Wyoming-Economic DiversificationProvides for matching funds for the small business innovation research program; creating the Wyoming research and innovation program, the startup Wyoming and kick start Wyoming programs and houses the programs under the Wyoming Business Council. Creates an economic diversification account and appropriates $11 million to the programs listed. Directs the WBC to present a proposal to ENDOW that will assist businesses within the state in priority economic sectors identified in the approved twenty (20) year comprehensive economic diversification strategy no later than July 1, 2018.Status-Passed introduction and will be heard in Senate Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee

SF 119 Workforce Development-Priority Economic Sector ProgramEstablishes the Wyoming workforce development-priority economic sector partnership program to meet the training needs of existing businesses in the state and to provide incentives to businesses to locate and expand within the state through government assisted new jobs training. Appropriates $20 million to the program.Status-Passed introduction and will be heard in Senate Minerals, Business and Economic Development Committee

HB 51- Reporting of Gross ReceiptsWould require businesses in Wyoming to report their gross receipts on their annual filings to the Secretary of State’s office so that the state could gather data about gross receipts in Wyoming to possibly be used later when considering a gross receipts tax.Status- Not considered for introduction.

HB 154- Build Wyoming Loan Program Creates the build Wyoming program providing up to $500 million for loans from the permanent Wyoming mineral trust fund for infrastructure projects.Status- Failed introduction in the house by 1 vote.

HB 171- Minimum WageWould have raised Wyoming’s minimum hourly wage to $9.50/hr and tipped minimum wage to $5.50/hrStatus- Not considered for introduction.

HB 174- Statewide Lodging TaxWould have created a 4% statewide lodging tax with half funding the Wyoming Office of Tourism and half being distributed back to local governments.Status- Not considered for introduction.

On February 12, the Wyoming State Chamber of Commerce released the following information following the State of the State address.

The budget session will run for 20 working days until Friday, March 9, 2018. As of today there are 222 bills and resolutions currently listed on the Wyoming Legislature website. Bills can be found here. New bills are being added daily with an expected total bill load of about 300.

As a number of bills that could impact the businesses that operate in your communities have and will continue to emerge in the coming weeks, and your State Chamber will be very closely monitoring them as they are posted and engaging as necessary.

The following list is comprised of the bills currently listed, related to the Wyoming State Chamber of Commerce and our legislative priorities in Wyoming. This list will be updated weekly. Please watch for the WSC legislative update every Monday for additions and up to date information on our legislative priorities.

Wyoming Office of Tourism Biennium BudgetThe Joint Appropriations Committee is recommending the Wyoming Office of Tourism (WOT) biennium budget at approximately $12.5 million per year or $25 million for the biennium. The committee upheld cuts that the Governor requested the WOT to make earlier in the year of about $200,000. Additionally the committee earmarked approximately $200,000 to promote southwest Wyoming. Wyoming currently ranks 31st in the nation for tourism funding and there will no doubt be proposed cuts to the budget as lawmakers grapple with a $600 million shortfall in education funding.

Wyoming Business Council Biennium BudgetGovernor Mead’s biennium budget recommendation for the Wyoming Business Council was flat vs. the last biennium. The Joint Appropriations Committee applied a cut of about $380,000 that Governor Mead had originally requested the agency to make but then did not include in his budget recommendation.

HB 13- Municipal extraterritorial jurisdiction-repealWithin one mile of municipality, assuming the potential for annexation in the future, new business would need to be built to municipal standards and would be developers responsibility up front. County commissioners would have final say.

HB 45- Mountain Daylight Savings TimeWould place Wyoming on standard central time, eliminate daylight savings time (spring forward and fall back) and creating a new time zone called mountain daylight savings time

HB 51- Reporting of Gross ReceiptsWould require businesses in Wyoming to report their gross receipts on their annual filings to the Secretary of State’s office so that the state could gather data about gross receipts in Wyoming to possibly be used later when considering a gross receipts tax.

SF 18 – Orphan Site Remediation FundingNon-interest bearing loans available for corrective action related to above and below ground storage tanks and solid waste landfill remediation. This bill adds orphaned sites to the list making these loans available to orphaned sites for remediation as well.

ENDOW Related BillsGovernor Mead’s Economically Needed Diversification of Wyoming (ENDOW) Committee released their initial recommendations last month and the following are bills related to the advancement of ENDOW’s mission.

Economic Diversification and Development (no bill number yet)Directs the Wyoming Business Council to develop new markets, expand foreign trade efforts, including expanding international markets for Wyoming services, agriculture, products and commodities. The bill also directs ENDOW to develop a strategy for small, regionally located beef processing plants and mid-large sized plants for international sales. The bill expands the ENDOW committee from 15 to 20 appointed members and directs the committee to review and develop further opportunity for career tech education opportunities in Wyoming.

Workforce development-priority economic sector program.(no bill number yet)Establishes the Wyoming workforce development-priority economic sector partnership program to meet the training needs of existing businesses in the state and to provide incentives to businesses to locate and expand within the state through government assisted new jobs training. Appropriates $20 million to the program.

Start Up Wyoming-Economic Diversification (no bill number yet)Provides for matching funds for the small business innovation research program; creating the Wyoming research and innovation program, the startup Wyoming and kick start Wyoming programs and houses the programs under the Wyoming Business Council. Creates an economic diversification account and appropriates $11 million to the programs listed. Directs the WBC to present a proposal to ENDOW that will assist businesses within the state in priority economic sectors identified in the approved twenty (20) year comprehensive economic diversification strategy no later than July 1, 2018.

SF 40 Commercial Air Service ImprovementEstablishes the Wyoming Commercial Air Service Improvement Act and creates the Wyoming Commercial Air Service Improvement Council. Tasks the Council with developing a 10 year plan to address commercial air service in Wyoming.

During the session you can contact a legislator to leave a message by calling the Senate receptionist at 307-777-7711 or the House receptionist at 307-777-7852.

To check on committee schedules, view bills, listen to live broadcasts of the legislative session or find out how individual legislators vote, log on to the Legislative website at http://legisweb.state.wy.us

"It takes about eight years to train a Governor, and just when you get 'em trained, they leave."

Governor Matt Mead gave his eighth and final State of the State address this morning on the floor of the Wyoming Legislature. He opened his speech joking that Speaker Steve Harshman and Senate President Eli Bebout told him it's a shame this is his last year, as he's just getting trained to be Governor.

He went on to thank the Legislature for working with him for the past seven years, and went over the accomplishments of the Legislature during his term. But he also cautioned against making cuts to education and social services, saying that the quality of Wyoming's public school system is at stake. The Governor also reported that revenue is forecast to see an increase of $140 million since the last outlook in October, and that Wyoming has remained strong during the economic downturn.

Mead also discussed ENDOW, and how he is not afraid that diversifying Wyoming's economy isn't a possibility.

“I reject the notion that Wyoming is incapable of determining its own destiny or that our future will only be determined by commodity prices or other exterior forces,” Mead said. “Surely the Equality State -- the Cowboy State -- has a belief in self-determination.”